


New Year on the Enterprise

by StellaRivers



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Decorating, Gen, New Year, New Year Toasts, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Eve party, Party, Vulcan Culture, Vulcans, happy new year, kind of, new year party, toasts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 06:08:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28466568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellaRivers/pseuds/StellaRivers
Summary: 3 years in, Captain Kirk notices his crew becoming increasingly fatigued with their 5-year mission. As it’s close to New Year on Earth, he decides to throw a New Year party for them to cheer everyone up. There’s just one stubborn half-Vulcan who doesn’t seem to be getting into the spirit…
Relationships: James T. Kirk & Spock, James T. Kirk/Spock, Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock, Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Spock
Comments: 3
Kudos: 22





	New Year on the Enterprise

**Author's Note:**

> I guess this happens around the end of season 3, when the original series was wrapping up, so it’s either post-canon or towards the end of the show—whichever you want, it doesn’t make a difference. I can never decide whether to ship Spock with Kirk or McCoy, so there’s a bit of both here, but it’s mostly just a gen fic about a fun party. After this shitshow of a year, I think we deserve to party vicariously through the original Enterprise crew (except Chekov, I couldn’t get him into it, sorry). 
> 
> This is just a bit of fun and isn't brilliantly written, so please go easy on me.

What this ship needs, thought Captain Kirk, is a good party. He and his crew had been in space coming up to three years now, and fatigue and homesickness were well and truly setting in. 

At first, the novelty and adventure of being on the first ever five-year exploratory mission had kept the crew’s spirits up, not to mention the constant attacks, cultural misunderstandings or outright aggression from the various new species they encountered keeping everyone busy. But of late, the crew had grown tired of being under threat all the time and had begun counting down the days until their mission would end—only 732 more to go. 

Kirk sighed. Even he was counting down the days until he could go home. But, as Captain, it was his job to keep up his crew’s morale and he fully intended to do so. By Earth’s calendar, it was nearly New Year’s Eve, the perfect opportunity for a party. The senior crew were all primed and ready for a celebration—well, almost all of them. 

“I fail to see the purpose of all these banners, Captain,” Spock complained, pinning yet another banner in place in the mess area.(1) 

“They brighten the place up, Spock,” Kirk replied playfully. 

“I suppose that is your defence for all these…what did you call them again?” 

“Balloons, Spock, they’re called balloons. Don’t tell me you’ve never seen balloons before.” 

Spock raised an eyebrow. 

“Captain, Vulcans do not blow air into flimsy pieces of rubber. Most illogical.” 

“It’s a party, it doesn’t have to be logical.” 

Kirk clapped Spock on the back and received another raised eyebrow. He walked over to where Doctor McCoy was setting the table for the buffet. 

“How’s it going, Bones?” 

“Damnit, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a waiter.” 

“But you’re doing so well.” 

“Looks like you just answered your own question.” 

“Impeccable logic, Doctor,” said Spock from across the room. 

“Why, thank you, Spock,” Bones bowed his head at Spock. 

“You’re quite welcome, Doctor,” Spock raised his eyebrow again, this time at Bones. 

Kirk chuckled and continued to blow up the balloons. The large mess area was almost fully decorated; “Happy New Year” banners of all metallic colours lined the walls, multicoloured balloons and streamers hung from the ceiling and a long table had been set up in the middle with a gold tablecloth draped over it and various finger foods along its length. The bar at the back was well-stocked with beverages from all over the galaxy from Andorian ale to Vulcan brandy. The computer had been programmed with a selection of party music from various planets and an assortment of lighting effects. 

Later that evening, the crew gathered together in the mess area hoping to forget about their burnout for a few hours. Captain Kirk was mingling with some members of his senior staff. 

“Ay! You’ve done a bonnie job of decorating, sir,” Scotty exclaimed, raising his glass of Scotch. 

“Thank you Scotty, but I can’t take all the credit,” Kirk replied, gesturing towards Spock and Bones. 

Bones was drunkenly grumbling about a recent away mission to Vulcan he had been on to anyone who happened to be in his general vicinity. Phrases like, “pointy-eared snob,” and, “obnoxious green blood,” could be made out above the general rabble of the party. Spock was standing in a corner glaring at Bones disapprovingly, clutching a glass of Denobulan ale Lieutenant Uhura had insisted he try. 

“Haven’t you tried that yet?” Uhura inquired. 

“I find it illogical to consume a substance which lowers one’s inhibitions,” Spock replied irritatingly flatly. 

“That’s the fun of it,” Uhura argued, “and don’t you Vulcans drink brandy?” 

“Vulcan brandy is non-alcoholic.” 

“Of course it is. Well, enjoy the party.” 

Uhura flicked her hand dismissively and returned to the dancefloor. Spock crossed his arms and leaned back into his corner. Kirk walked over to his half-Vulcan friend, hoping he could cheer him up. 

“Spock!” he started, “aren’t you going to join in the festivities?” 

“Captain, I am quite happy where I am.” 

“You could at least call me James—seeing as how we’re off duty.” 

“Very well, James, I am quite satisfied standing here.” 

“Alright, Spock, do what you want.” 

Kirk joined his friends on the dancefloor while Spock continued to stand in the corner. He looked awfully sad to Kirk, but maybe this was just how Vulcans behaved at parties. He shouldn’t push him. 

“Hey, Spock,” Bones slurred, “how about you get your green-blooded ass out on the dancefloor?” 

“Dancing is illogical, Doctor,” Spock replied. 

“Damnit, Spock, not everything has to be logical,” Bones exclaimed. 

“Logic is the Vulcan philosophy,” countered Spock. 

“But you’re only half Vulcan!” 

“I was born on Vulcan, my upbringing was Vulcan and I choose to live by Vulcan philosophies.” 

“Are you sure I can’t change your mind with some good old Kentucky bourbon?” 

“Quite sure, Doctor.” 

“Fine. Enjoy your night.” 

Bones continued onto the dancefloor, considerably less elegantly than Uhura. 

The party continued into the night, until Captain Kirk announced it was approaching mignight. 

“10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5. 4, 3, 2, 1…Happy New Year!” everyone at the party yelled. 

Some people even blew on kazoos. The loud party music was interrupted for an ancient Earth classic called Auld Lang Syne, which most of the party-goers attempted to sing but were too drunk to do so coherently. 

“To new opportunities!” Mr Sulu proposed, raising his glass. 

“New opportunities!” the party chorused slurring and drinking from their glasses. 

They continued to dance and party into the night, but Spock stayed in his corner for the rest of the night. 

A few days later, Captain James T. Kirk had the opportunity to speak frankly with his first officer in his ready room. 

“Mr Spock, I’m sorry you couldn’t appreciate our New Years Eve party.” 

“On the contrary, Captain, I enjoyed it very much.” 

“You did?” 

“Of course I did. The opportunity to observe human behaviour was unparalleled.” 

“That’s all it was to you? Another science mission?” 

“You make it sound so unimportant. Science is the pinnacle of discovery.” 

“But…you didn’t observe anything…embarrassing did you?” 

“On the contrary, I found your behaviour quite illuminating.” 

“Well…as long as you enjoyed it…” 

“I did, Captian. In my own way.” 

“Well, I’m glad you did. Happy new year, Spock.” 

“Happy new year…James.”

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. There’s definitely a large communal eating area shown on the original Enterprise but it’s never really explored or named in the show (not to my knowledge anyway), so I’ve just kind of called it a “mess area.” 
> 
> So…I’ve always found the message behind “A Christmas Carol” a bit toxic…I’m sure Charles Dickens had only the best intentions, but the moral of, “you must be happy at Christmas no matter what,” isn’t the best by today’s standards. In this fic, I’ve tried to give the opposite message but with New Year though Spock, 
> 
> Just enjoy your New Year, regardless of how you celebrate. I’m also aware there’s an issue with time differences here, but happy New Year from Britain, GMT. May 2021 be less nightmarish than 2020.


End file.
